Little Things
by azarathangel
Summary: It was the little things he did that helped her get through the day. A little bit of Thutner fluff


Oh man so I haven't written fanfiction in awhile… I just got on this crazy Thutner craze so here this is! Hopefully it's not too awful, I'm a little rusty, but hey, I tried. Plus it's the first House fanfic I've ever done sooooooo we'll see what happens with it.

And this is pure fluff. Not in the cutesy, sugary way, but there is no real plot. Enjoy! -Ash

Summary: It's the little things he does that help her get through the day.

Disclaimer: I OWN ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING! Nothing but a recent obsession for Thutner… oh well.

- - - - - -

It was one of those days. One of the bad ones. The ones where the last thing she wanted to do was pull herself out of bed, drive to work, and surround herself with all manners of people dying, just like her. Yet here she was, early, her head buried in her arms on the glass table.

"Thirteen?" She heard an unsure voice enter the room and sit next to her. Raising her head slowly, she saw Foreman had entered earlier without her noticing and now sat at the end of the table reading his paper. Turning her attention back to Kutner, she delicately arched one eyebrow in response.

"Are you okay?" he ventured, that sad little half-smile prompting her to answer. She didn't, choosing instead to drop her chin to her arms with a small grimace as Taub burst through the doors, followed closely by House. She felt a hand come to rest lightly on her back, his thumb making subtle little circles, the gentleness so very different from the atmosphere around as the morning's differential began with the loud _bang_ of file meeting table. Turning her head ever so slightly to meet his eyes, she offered a small, grateful smile.

- - - - -

"Turkey or chicken?" Kutner plopped down in the chair beside Thirteen, holding up two bags. Alarmed, she glanced at her watch.

"Is it really lunchtime already?" She placed her pen on top of her notebook, flexing the sore muscles in her hand and pushing aside the patient file and thick book so Kutner could put down the bags.

"It's past lunch, actually," Kutner observed, watching the second hand tick away into the afternoon.

"Wow," she stated, running a hand back through her messed hair. Several strands fell back across her face. Kutner lifted a hand towards her to smooth the errant hair back, but he stopped midair and instead ran his own hand through his hair, making it stand on end. Thirteen laughed.

"What?" He wrinkled his nose. She shook her head with a smile, liking his hair the way it was.

"Nothing," she said, reaching for the bag with the chicken sandwich. "Thanks." Kutner grinned, glad to see her happy.

"Anytime."

- - - - - -

"Thirteen!" A cane slammed onto the table in front of her, rattling the can of soda by her hand. Her head flew up, eyes snapping open in shock.

"What? What's wrong?" She quickly rubbed the sleep from her eyes. House smirked and took the can, draining the last gulp.

"Nothing."

"Then why the hell did you wake me up?" she growled. Throwing the empty can into her arms, he shrugged.

"Well I was going to just hit you on the head, but I decided to be nice." Thirteen rolled her eyes.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Just looked like you were having a good dream." And with that, he walked through the glass doors into his own office, poking a dozing Taub on the way out.

"It _was_ a nice dream…" Thirteen grumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Kutner smiled as he came in from clinic duty. She shook her head.

"Doesn't matter."

"Okay." He didn't push it, seeing that it really didn't matter. It was nice having someone like that, someone who didn't push when he shouldn't and who knew her so well he didn't have to have every answer to make her feel better.

"_Now _what is it?"

"Huh?"

"You're staring at me and you've got that funny little smile on your face. It's the same one you have when you're dreaming…" Kutner trailed off.

"It's you."

"Me?"

"You," she said with finality. Something hit the glass, and they looked up to see House plastered against the door, making faces at them.

"Well that's normal," Thirteen observed dryly. Kutner checked his watch.

"I think that's his way of saying 'goodbye, see you tomorrow, I hate all of you.'" Kutner gave a little salute and House walked towards the elevator, bag over his shoulder as he left for the night. Thirteen turned her head to watch him get in the elevator.

"Uh, Thirteen?"

"What?" Kutner chuckled.

"You have pen all over your face," he said gently, reaching up with the pad of his thumb to rub the black letters off her cheek. She rolled her eyes and batted his hand away, roughly wiping at her face with her hand.

"Looks like someone beat you up, now," Kutner spoke with a smile, Thirteen's cheek now a faded black and red combination.

"I'll just tell them House hit me with his cane." She stood and gathered her things into a neat pile. Kutner rose with her and without another word between them, they packed their bags and walked to the elevator.

"So are you going to tell me why you couldn't sleep last night?" Kutner said as soon as the elevator closed, sealing them into their own little world away from prying eyes and ears.

"I just…" she stopped and bit her lip. "I just knew it was going to be a bad day today."

"So then it was kinda silly to come in so early," Kutner said plainly, watching the doors open. They stepped through and began the walk to the parking lot.

"I didn't want to bother you…" she mumbled. Kutner resisted the urge to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"You never bother me. Plus waking up without you stumbling around in the dark trying _not_ to wake me is just weird now." She offered him a small smile in response. The parking lot lights flickered overhead, gentle yellow bathing the darkened cars.

"I'm sorry," Thirteen sighed, sticking her hands in her pockets against the wind chill.

"Remy," Kutner said softly. She felt her heart skip a beat: he was the only one who ever called her that. "Remy, you don't have to be sorry for anything." He reached an arm around her and pulled her closer to him, their affection safely hidden by the cars around and the dark skies above.

"Damn it, Kutner." She felt an unfamiliar hot sting behind her eyes. No tears came, of course, but the feeling was there all the same. She sighed and turned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder as he brought his other arm around her, holding her tight and secure. She felt his lips press softly against her forehead.

"Promise you won't leave in the morning again without telling me?" he asked. She nodded against him, pulling back and letting him take her hand.

"Promise." Kutner grinned widely, and she felt a little of the heaviness on her lift with his light smile.

"C'mon, let's go home. And we're taking one car; you're about to drop," he said, taking in the dark rings beneath her eyes. Thirteen started to protest. "We'll get here early so no one who matters notices, don't worry. We're always first here anyways."

"I call first shower," she said playfully. He laughed, relieved to see that light back on in her eyes.

"Oh, Remy…" he said to himself, watching her climb into the passenger seat of his car.

- - - - -

Review, please! This was fun, if not a wee bit difficult, to write. I love Thutner but I have never written House fanfic before… thanks for reading!


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